Jewellery

ABSTRACT

A coupling assembly for jewellery components the coupling assembly including a first coupling member and a second coupling member which are adapted to be connected together in a coupled position. Each coupling member includes a coupling body with a cavity therein, a mouth for providing access to the cavity from externally thereof the mouth including opposed jaw sections with an opening therebetween. The arrangement is such that the two coupling members can be connected together by presenting the mouth of the first coupling member to the mouth of the second coupling member when in a coupling position relative to one another so that the jaw sections of each one of the coupling members can pass through the mouth of each other one of coupling member so that the two coupling members are interlocked.

This invention relates generally to jewellery and more particularly to acoupling assembly which is suitable for connecting jewellery componentstogether.

Jewellery takes a large number of forms however generally it is a staticpiece which can be worn or adopt only one configuration. It is an objectof the present invention to provide a coupling assembly for jewellerycomponents which may in some applications provide for some variety ofassembly.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided acoupling assembly for jewellery components the coupling assemblyincluding a first coupling member and a second coupling member which areadapted to be connected together in a coupled position each couplingmember including a coupling body with a cavity therein, a mouth forproviding access to the cavity from externally thereof the mouthincluding opposed jaw sections with an opening therebetween, thearrangement being such that the two coupling members can be connectedtogether by presenting the mouth of the first coupling member to themouth of the second coupling member when in a coupling position relativeto one another so that the jaw sections of each one of the couplingmembers can pass through the mouth of each other one of coupling memberso that the two coupling members are interlocked.

In one embodiment each coupling member may be associated with arespective jewellery component so that jewellery components can beconnected together in a variety of configurations. The jewellerycomponents may have two or more coupling members associated therewith sothat a number of other jewellery components can be secured to thatcomponent. It will be appreciated that the coupling members can bedisconnected from one another so that the jewellery components can beinterchangeable.

The coupling body of each coupling member may be in the form of agenerally annular shaped or ring shaped element which substantiallysurrounds the cavity, the element having a gap in the element body whichforms the mouth, the free edges of the element at the gap forming thejaws. The element can be of any suitable shape when viewed in plan. Forexample it may be generally square or rectangular although it will beappreciated that it could be other shapes such as at least partiallycircular, triangular and the like. In addition the cross-sectional shapecan take a number of forms such as square, rectangular, circular,triangular by way of example only. Preferably the cross-sectionaldimension of the body is such that it cannot pass through the mouth.This means that connection and release can only be effected as describedabove and unintentional release is substantially inhibited.

Preferably the jaw sections of each coupling member are configured sothat each one of the coupling members can pass through the mouth of theother one. In one form the free edge portion adjacent the gap is taperedinwardly which enables the interlocking of the two parts. In one formthe side edges are chamfered or similarly shaped.

The arrangement is such that when two coupling members are to beconnected together the two coupling member are oriented so that theirmouths face one another and the plane of the coupling body of onecoupling member is generally at right angles to the plane of thecoupling body of the other coupling member.

The jewellery component may include an adornment part to which one ormore of the coupling members are secured or formed integral therewith.The adornment part can take any number of forms. For example it may bein the form of a link, pendent, chain or the like. The connectionmembers may be secured to the adornment part by suitable fastenings,adhesive, welding, soldering or any other technique.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided ajewellery component for a jewellery piece, the jewellery componentincluding an adornment part and one or more coupling members of the typedescribed above in the broadly described or more preferred forms whichfacilitates connection of two or more jewellery components together toform a jewellery piece.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided ajewellery piece which includes a plurality of jewellery components asdescribed above which can be connected together by coupling assembliesas described above.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawing and in those drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are various views of two coupling elements for jewellerycomponents according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the two coupling elements interlocked;

FIGS. 4 to 11 are various embodiments of jewellery components havingcoupling elements thereon;

FIG. 12 is an illustration of the disposition of the jaw membersrelative to: one another for connection, and

FIGS. 13 and 14 are illustrations of a jewellery piece made up of anumber of jewellery components connected together by coupling assembliesaccording to the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated two coupling member 12and 14 which can form a coupling assembly 10, (see FIGS. 3, 14 and 15)for jewellery components 50. The coupling members are adapted to beconnected together in a coupled position as illustrated in FIG. 3.Coupling member 12 includes a coupling body 14 with a cavity 16 therein,a mouth 21 for providing access to the cavity 14 from externallythereof. The mouth 21 includes opposed jaw sections 23 and 24, with anopening 27 therebetween. Similarly coupling member 14 includes acoupling body 15 having a cavity 17 therein with a mouth 22 providingaccess to the cavity 15. Opposed jaw sections 25 and 26 are arrangedwith an opening 28 therebetween. The arrangement is such that the twocoupling members 12 and 14 can be connected together by presenting themouth 21 of one coupling member 12 to the mouth 22 of the other couplingmember 13. The jaw sections 23, 24, 25 and 26 are configured such thatthe jaw sections of each one pass through the mouth of each other one ofcoupling member so that the two coupling members are interlocked.

The coupling body 14 and 15 of each coupling member 12 and 13 is in theform of a generally annular shaped or ring shaped element with a seriesof limbs 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35, 36, 37 and 38 which substantiallysurrounds the cavity. A gap between adjacent limbs 31 and 34, and 35 and38 forms the mouth and the free edges at the gap form the jaws. Asshown, the coupling body 14 and 15 of each member is generally square orrectangular when viewed in plan. The free edges of the jaws haveinclined faces the planes of which are at an angle A which is about 90°.Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the bodies is generallysquare. The cross-sectional dimension of the body in each case is suchthat it is inhibited from passage through the mouth. This means thatconnection and release can only be effected as described above andunintentional release is substantially inhibited.

As shown the jaw sections of each coupling member have a free edgeportion adjacent the gap which is tapered inwardly. This enables theinterlocking of the two parts only when configured in a couplingposition relative to one another. This is illustrated in FIG. 12. Thearrangement is such that when two coupling members are to be connectedtogether the two coupling member are oriented so that their mouths faceone another and the plane of the coupling body of one coupling member isgenerally at right angles to the plane of the coupling body of the othercoupling member.

The jewellery component includes an adornment part 40 to which one ormore of the coupling members are secured or formed integral therewith.The adornment part can take any number of forms as shown in thedrawings. For example it may be in the form of a link, pendent, chain orthe like. The coupling members are secured to the adornment part bysuitable fastenings, adhesive, welding or soldering.

As shown in the drawings, limb 31 of coupling member 12 is secured ineach case to the adornment part 40 and limb 35 of coupling member 13 issecured to the adornment part 40. In this arrangement the mouth 21 and22 of each coupling member 12 and 13 is positioned relatively closely tothe adornment part 40 to which it is attached. This positioning limitsthe possibility of unintentional release of the two coupling members.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 11 the adornment part can take a variety offorms. For example in FIG. 4 the adornment part is in the form of agenerally square annular shaped element. In FIGS. 5( a) and 5(b) theadornment part 40 includes a bar and chain assembly. In FIGS. 6( a) and6(b) the adornment part is in the form of a bar with a number ofcoupling members 12 and 13 thereon. In FIG. 7 the adornment part 40includes a pendant which as shown can be of a number of differentconfigurations with one or more coupling members attached thereto. InFIG. 8 the adornment part includes a body with precious stones embeddedtherein. FIG. 9 illustrates various types of components with anadornment part 40 similar in configuration to that shown in FIG. 9 butwith different numbers of coupling elements attached thereto. In FIG. 10the adornment part 40 is in the form of a chain. In FIG. 11 theadornment part 40 includes three elements held together by a centrallydisposed pin or rivet.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate a jewellery piece 60 which includes a seriesof jewellery components 50 which are interconnected by couplingassemblies 10. As shown the jewellery components are provided withdifferent numbers of coupling members so that they can be connectedtogether in differing configurations.

Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modificationsand/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions andarrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of theinvention.

1. A coupling assembly for jewellery components the coupling assemblyincluding a first coupling member and a second coupling member which areadapted to be connected together in a coupled position each couplingmember including a coupling body with a cavity therein, a mouth forproviding access to the cavity from externally thereof the mouthincluding opposed jaw sections with an opening therebetween, thearrangement being such that the two coupling members can be connectedtogether by presenting the mouth of the first coupling member to themouth of the second coupling member when in a coupling position relativeto one another so that the jaw sections of each one of the couplingmembers can pass through the mouth of each other one of coupling memberso that the two coupling members are interlocked.
 2. A coupling assemblyaccording to claim 1 wherein the coupling body of each coupling membercomprises a generally annular shaped or ring shaped element whichsubstantially surrounds the cavity, the element having a gap in theelement which forms the mouth, the free edges of the element at the gapforming the jaws, the cross-sectional dimension of the body being suchthat it cannot pass through the mouth.
 3. A coupling assembly accordingto claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the jaw sections of each coupling memberare configured so that each one of the coupling members can pass throughthe mouth of the other one when disposed in the coupling positionrelative to one another but are inhibited from such passage when inother positions relative to one another.
 4. A coupling assemblyaccording to claim 3 wherein the free edge portion adjacent the gap istapered inwardly which enables the interlocking of the two parts, thearrangement being such that when two coupling members are to beconnected together the two coupling member are oriented so that theirmouths face one another and the plane of the coupling body of onecoupling member is generally at right angles to the plane of thecoupling body of the other coupling member.
 5. A jewellery component fora jewellery piece, the jewellery component including an adornment partand one or more coupling members according to any one of claims 1 to 4which facilitates connection of two or more jewellery componentstogether to form a jewellery piece.